


The Christmas Shopping Epiphany Reloaded

by the_milky_way



Series: 25 Days of Buck and Eddie [5]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 25 Days of Fic, Buck and Eddie talk, Christmas Presents, Developing Relationship, Eddie Diaz Is A Good Father, Figuring Things Out, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, Prompt Fic, Schmoop, Soft Boys, Talking, prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:16:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27902122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_milky_way/pseuds/the_milky_way
Summary: Buck and Eddie talk about what's going on between them... a little.Honestly? They kiss more than they talk.Oh, and Buck figures out what to get Eddie for Christmas.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: 25 Days of Buck and Eddie [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036098
Comments: 22
Kudos: 225
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	The Christmas Shopping Epiphany Reloaded

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this wasn't planned for today at all. But since it seems to be wanted, a continuation of [The Christmas Shopping Epiphany](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27884101).  
> It sets in almost right after but should be readable as a stand-alone I think (maybe one or two referrences might be confusing if you haven't read the first part).
> 
> Prompt for Day 5:
> 
> "Fun"

The shift is torture. Not because anything bad happens or because it is particularly slow. No. It is torture because Buck is so very impatient for what is to come after. He tries to stay composed, tries not to react to any kind of teasing Chim throws his way but his resolve is being slowly chipped away at. Every single small smile Eddie sends his way, every lingering touch when they are out on a call, every bump of knee against knee in the truck - it all makes it very hard not to just stop right there, grin like a fool and haul Eddie into a real kiss.

And he wants to do that so badly. It’s not even funny. The way Eddie tries to hide his glances, too or the way he stops short from pulling Buck closer betrays Eddie’s own slipping grip in composure. But they are at work. They said they’d talk after. Also, when they came upstairs after that little episode in the locker room, Bobby just gave them a warning look. No words, yet. Just a look and they knew best behavior is the way to go. 

And that is torture. 

Buck curses his past-self for being stupid enough to start something this epic before a goddamn twelve hour shift. Not his brightest move. But then again, Eddie was the one to kiss him. So they are both at fault here. If you wanna be nitpicky and do some finger-pointing. Which Buck is too mature to do. Really. You have to believe him there. He is not pointing any fingers. If he glares at Eddie from time to time, especially after being subtly hip-checked or having a hand slide down his back, that’s just for him to know. Also, glaring is a very mature way to deal with things. 

Chim is having way too much fun with it all. The times he actually sat down next to Buck to ask how he is doing and if he’s looking towards the end of shift - the nerve this guy has. It’s payback, that much is clear. Still, Buck would have loved some understanding for his dilemma. He loves his job. Loves the fact that he can actually have Eddie’s back and watch out for his friends even more. He also totally loves the prospect of finally, finally going somewhere with Eddie that is not the carefully fenced off territory of friendship. 

Good thing about being on shift is that he doesn’t have much time to overthink, to come up with excuses for why this is a bad idea. Buck’s pretty sure his mind is able to create a thousand different scenarios about how changing things between them will screw everything up. He knows himself and his insecurities. And even during slow times between calls he has bouts of doubts, thoughts that go in the direction of "maybe they shouldn’t". But then he catches sight of Eddie vigorously scrubbing at a smear on the ladder truck, muscles bunching, lips caught between teeth and everything is less dull, brighter somehow.

So when Buck practically runs out of the locker room at shift’s end he doesn’t even mind Chim’s laughter that follows him. He hears the “get’em Buckaroo” and only marginally minds it, grins when he also hears the slap that follows. He silently vows to thank Hen next shift.

Eddie is miraculously already waiting for him. Leaning against the truck, a smug smile firmly in place and arms crossed over his chest.

“How? You finished after me,” Buck whines a little. 

He is wound up with excitement, with expectations, with hope. He leans his shoulder against the truck, watches Eddie turn towards him a little. Gravitating towards each other like they’ve always done. It’s sort of obvious now that Buck knows what to look for. He never even thought about it, never dared to think about Eddie this way.

Well, thank god for desperate husbands, he guesses.

“Not all of us need a century to do our air,” Eddie simply says and shrugs.

Buck, out of reflex, combs his fingers through still wet curls. Then he jabs his elbow into Eddie’s side.

“Funny. Seriously, though. How?”

Eddie laughs, grabs Buck’s bag from his shoulder and heaves it into the backseat before sort of pivoting on his heels and holds the passenger door open for Buck. The laughter is still in Eddie’s eyes so this entire situation just serves to dissolve the weird tension between them. It works. Buck huffs a little, smiles and gets into the car. 

They are a block out already when Eddie actually answers.

“Showered when you were still stocking the ambulance with Hen. Figured we wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.” It’s said with a minute shrug, Eddie never taking his eyes off the road. 

“Yeah.” Because really, there isn’t much Buck can reply to that. Not after the shift they’ve just had. They are both wound tight with something heavy, with the knowledge that something will fundamentally change in just a few mere minutes. The soft smile Eddie is still granting him, lets Buck know that it’s probably going to be all okay.

There isn’t even a question about where they are going. Eddie’s place is closer and it holds Christopher. Buck’s been looking forward to seeing him as well. It has been a few days. And he would lie if he said it doesn’t feel like coming home when Eddie turns into his driveway. Carla’s car is parked at the curb, so she can actually leave without getting Eddie to move his truck all over again. Once and they both learned from that hassle. 

Buck’s sort of skipping his way to the door, to Eddies ever growing amusement. Only, the second they step into the house they both immediately know something isn’t right. It’s not much that indicates it but the atmosphere feels subdued, less cheery than expected. The lack of sound is what gets to Buck. There isn’t a happy greeting from Christopher like there usually is when Eddie manages to get home right before bedtime. 

There is no Carla remarking on Buck coming over either. So, dread settles within him and Buck just hopes nothing really bad has happened. The thought that Carla would have called is the only thing holding him back from actually running further into the house. The measured way Eddie slides his shoes off, stows his bag in its rightful place and then heaves a deep breath, tells him he isn’t alone in his urge.

The picture that greets them when they walk into the living room is somewhat eerie. Christopher is silently working on a drawing. The TV has been shut off, there is no music or audio book on either. Carla, with a solemn look, sits across from Chris at the dining table. She nods at them but watches Christopher. Buck catches second later, she is waiting for Chris to start, to explain.

“What’s going on?” Eddie offers as a starting point, moves closer to the table, ready to comfort his son should he need it. 

Buck stays back, watching, glancing at Carla every so often and realizes that she’s sad and disappointed. At least a little. What the hell did Chris do to warrant that? That boy is usually a saint. Buck has to bite his lip to hold back a gasp when Chris finally turns and looks at his father with teary eyes and a wobbly lip. He looks down a second later, not daring to face any of the adults in the room. Oh boy, Buck thinks.

“I’m sorry, dad,” it’s small and regretful but audible nonetheless. Chris totally means it. It doesn’t sound like he is sorry that he got caught doing something but more about the affect his actions have.

“Okay. Thank you. Can you tell me what you are sorry for?” Eddie patiently asks, moves into a crouch and manages to get his son to look at him again.

“I… I didn’t… listen to... to Carla. And… bump… bumped into your… your bottles,” Chris sniffles, eyes full of tears and hand clutching the pen he used to draw what Buck now realizes is a card for Eddie.

Buck’s gaze snaps to the half glass half wooden cabinet in the corner behind the table. Chris is usually very careful not to get too close to it, as the space between chairs and cabinet is very limited. It holds Eddie’s collection of rare whiskeys. Irish in origin and not exactly cheap. One of them is missing. The black glass carafe Buck knows Eddie’s sister brought back from Ireland for Eddie’s 30th birthday. 

This cabinet holds the only indulgence Eddie really has. He rarely drinks the whiskey, saved for special occasions and then only a sip or two. But he sort of developed a taste for it, collecting those special kinds. It’s one of the few things Eddie actually does solely for himself. And watching Eddie take in the empty space in the cabinet, the brief flicker of loss and mourning that is gone a second later, Buck knows this stings.

“Why didn’t you listen to Carla?” Eddie has all his concentration on his son again. His own feelings taking a back seat for now.

Buck’s amazed how Carla stays quiet, how she doesn’t try to defend or explain. She let’s Chris be independent, lets him face the consequences and gives him a chance to grow, to learn, to figure things out. Eddie’s doing the same, waiting for Chris to tell everything.

“Dunno,” Chris mumbles. It’s rare but the kid does have bouts of rebellion sometimes. Mostly when he’s frustrated with something.

“Christopher,” Eddie adds a little more emphasis to the name. The sort of put-upon sigh only a kid can produce makes Buck’s slip twitch. He can suppress the smile though and almost lets ist slip anyway when he sees Carla struggling as well.

“I… they said… at school some boys… they said I… am lame. ‘Cause I follow rules.” The shame on the kid’s face makes Buck cringe. He so knows how that goes, peer pressure and all that. He’s had those phases, too. Only, no one really cared about it.

“So you thought you’d try not following the rules with Carla today. To be cool. That’s not really a good way to get friends or gain people’s respect, you know. It also had more consequences than you anticipated, didn’t it?”

“Yeah. I’m really sorry, dad. I can… can give you my allowance… to... to pay for the bottle,” Christopher offers and it’s really sweet. Also sort of hilarious because Buck knows Chris actually believes his allowance would help with the sum. Eddie doesn’t even try to acknowledge that.

“Yeah, let’s forget about the bottle for now. You apologized, you made me a card, and you hopefully learnt your lesson there. Did you thank Carla for cleaning it up?”

Because they all know that Carla had parked Chris in his room while she cleaned the class and alcohol away. The cabinet and the floor beneath it are shining.

“I did. I said sorry, too. Made a card for her first,” Chris says and then flings himself into Eddie’s arms.

“Good. Okay, mijo. Let’s get you to bed. This has been an exciting afternoon as it seems. We’ll talk tomorrow. Say goodnight to Carla and Buck.” 

Buck actually feels bad at the way Chris jerks in Eddie’s hold, only now realizing that his Buck is actually there. For a short moment Buck sees the protest forming, prepares himself for it but then thinks better of it and actually raises an eyebrow at the almost defiant look Chris sports. The kid deflates immediately.

“Night, Carla. Sorry. Night, Buck.”

They echo his wishes and watch Eddie carrying Chris into his room. The kid’s face is hidden against Eddie’s shoulder, too embarrassed to be his cheerful self. 

“You are over late.” Carla’s voice brings Buck to the present as he turns away from the sight of Christopher’s door to look at her. Carla seems amused. This doesn’t bode well for him.

“Yeah. We… well, we wanted to talk. And shift’s been long so…” He’s not really sure where he is going with this. He’s not even sure what Eddie and him actually want to do before either of them is too tired. Because as impatient Buck has been during shift and as exciting all the new developments are, he is starting to feel the twelve hours now.

“So you couldn’t wait until tomorrow? Your day off.” Carla’s eyes are twinkling, knowing in a way that should be embarrassing but only serves to reassure Buck that she’ll be there if he needs a friend, needs support.

“Uh…” The look also apparently makes him lose his words.

“Good for you, boys. I am happy you figured it out.”

“What? No Come on. It isn’t that obvious. I mean I literally just figured it out this morning,” Buck doesn’t pout but it’s a close thing. Because really? How can everyone around them just know? Chim didn’t seem too surprised. Hen just laughed at them and Bobby, well that look said it all.

“Just because you two idiot boys took ages doesn’t mean others couldn’t see it before that. Also, you are glowing in this special way,” Carla says with a laugh but pulls him into a hug at the same time. It’s nice. 

“Buckaroo, it’s okay. Do it your own way, at your own pace. You boys have to figure it out, not us. Just know we are all happy for you.” She pats his back, hugs him closer for a second and then lets him go but doesn’t really move away.

“Thanks, Carla,” Eddie says from behind them and actually has the audacity to laugh at the way Buck jumps in Carla’s arms. 

After that it’s a quick goodbye to Carla, a bit of tidying up and then they are settled on the couch with a beer each. Buck sees Eddie looking a little mournfully at the cabinet that is a bottle missing now before his best friend’s concentration is fully on him.

“So, desperate husband of mine, are we doing this?”

And just like that all the tension that built up within Buck since Carla left drops away. He laughs, slugs Eddie in the arm a little and then just keeps his own at the back of the couch. Classic move that works still. 

“Well, I guess so? I mean, it’s us. Next logical step, right?”

“Seeing as everyone thinks we should have figured that out sooner, yes it is. But seriously, I never thought this would happen. But then you go and say something like this. Actually, in your special way sort of tell me that you love me like that... I thought we should at least talk about it before we, you know, do something. Just to be clear, I’m in if you are.”

And that’s just so Eddie. Reserved to a degree where it’s hard to figure out what he’s feeling and then being totally open once he decided to trust you implicitly. They should probably talk about the what if’s and what they want. But right now, Buck thinks they are on the same page and that is absolutely enough. They’ll figure the rest out along the way. For a second he thinks this is too easy but then he thinks they’ve taken over two years and several tragedies to get here. So no, it isn’t too easy. It’s just the right time.

“I am. In, that is. As your desperate husband I appreciate us talking about it.” Buck feels his lip pull into a smirk, actually snorts when Eddie laughs outright. And then they sort of freeze. Not in a bad “oh shit what are we doing way” but rather just taking everything in.

Buck drinks in his fill, finally able to openly look and appreciate. He lets his eyes slide over Eddie and the way he’s perched on the couch, body angled towards Buck, face open. He takes in the sharp edges of Eddie’s cheeks, the way he is biting his lip and stops his exploration when warm brown eyes catch his.

And as cliche as it sounds, time seems to stand still in that moment. Eyes caught in a soft stare-off, bodies held still and hearts pounding. Buck’s not sure who moves first but the next second they are surging towards each other. He buries his fingers in the strands of hair at Eddie’s neck and pulls him closer when their lips finally meet.

Buck nips at, sucks into, pulls and slides over Eddie in ways he’s only ever dreamed about before and then denied having those dreams. It’s a dance, a choreography they’ve both been desperate to try out and now are allowed to. Their bodies fit. Sharp edges, hard muscles and soft places colliding in ways like they are meant to be. And maybe they are.

They kiss long and hard at first. More lust and affirmation than love and desire. They bite and lick and moan softly when they can’t help it. Fingers scrambling to get to skin, hips moving to get closer even. Then it changes to something softer, once they made sure that the urgent need to claim, to affirm is satisfied. Warm soft lips explore, tongues carrases bitten flesh and skin only to elicit more moans.

Eddie ends up in Buck’s lap, kissing him for what seems like hours and only stopping when he can’t suppress a yawn any longer. He hides his face against Buck's neck then, places softer pecks there and actually giggles when Buck tries to wiggle away. It tickles, okay?

“Bed?”

“Hell yeah.”

Buck tries not to be offended at the delighted laugh his reply gets him. He is tired after all. But when Eddie gets to his feet, takes his hand and guides him towards the bedroom all Buck can do is follow like the lovesick fool he is. There isn’t even a modicum of regret about that in him.

+++

After Buck has had the epiphany about his feelings triggered by the mall it only seems fitting that he has the one about the perfect present for Eddie in the mall. He’s actually there with Eddie when it happens. Unfortunate timing but Buck can’t help that.

It’s a last minute effort from Eddie’s side to get a decent present for Peppa. They are packed with bags holding small things for everyone, except for Peppa. Buck had actually given up asking Eddie what he wanted for Christma these last few days. Especially after their first morning together where Eddie told him that it'd be enough of a present if Buck spent Christmas with him and Christopher. Buck simply told him with a laugh how predictable he was and left it at that. 

So here they are and it actually is sort of fun to do this with Eddie. Because Eddie’s comments on present ideas or the people around them are hilarious. It’s a side of Eddie he rarely gets to see. They are in the middle of figuring out if Peppa would be very mad about a new set of gardening tools or if she’d actually be happy about them, when Buck catches something out of the corner of his eye. It’s a shopping window display that has him stop short when he actually looks at it for real. That’s it. That’s Eddie’s present.

Eddie crashes into his back with a grunt and curse. Yeah, stopping mid-step when he was swerving around oncoming traffic and walking in front of Eddie might not have been the best idea.

“Buck, really?”

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry about that. Just had an epiphany,” Buck grins while he moves to the side and tries to eye the display as subtle as possible. He wants it to be a surprise. And the way Eddie is eyeing him, he needs to be really sneaky about it.

“What is it about this time?”

“You.”

“Again?”

Buck laughs, bumps his shoulder against Eddie's and continues on to wind his way through the masses of people. He’ll come back later. Now that he knows what he’ll get Eddie, his mood is awesome and he doesn’t mind still having to find something for Peppa.

“Well, you inspire epic realizations in me. Also, I’m pretty sure you’ll like this one.”

“Oh? Well then, desperate husband of mine, I am looking forward to whatever comes out of this epic realization of yours,” Eddie says, sounding all snotty and arrogant - mocking. But the laugh lines around his eyes soften the edges and Buck just chuckles.

“You’ll never gonna let me live that down, won’t you?”

“Nope. I like how it sounds,” Eddie says with a wink and then promptly vanishes inside the bookstore they’ve passed at least four times already. Buck and his enarmored smile follow him a second later.

+++

When Buck sends the message he feels like he’s sitting on hot coals. When he gets the answer and shows it to the sales clerk at the liquor store, he’s feeling absolutelty excited about the imminent purchase. When the sales clerk comes back with the right bottle Buck’s so damn happy that the numbers on the register and later on his credit card bill don’t really matter all that much.

The look on Eddie’s face when he opens the box, pulls out the black carafe now holding a 33-year-old whiskey is worth every panic Buck went through since the idea hit. He knows it’s a bit too much, maybe a bit too soon even for these kinds of presents. But the subtle mourning looks Eddie shot the empty place in the cabinet, well they went to Buck’s heart. Like almost everything Eddie does.

And when Eddie comes out of his speechless wonder only to pull Buck into a searing kiss - much to Christopher’s distaste and Abuela’s delight - Buck thinks he did the right thing. Eddie looks surprised and happy. Like he should on Christmas. He deserves good things. They all do.

**Author's Note:**

> Today has been really stressful, so I'll answer all your lovely comments on the last few parts tomorrow. I promise.
> 
> All remaining mistakes are of course mine.


End file.
